Eternally Hopeful

It's 8 am and the Grade 5 kid is at the computer working on her math homework.

The Grade 8 kid shoves the chair in which she sits. Since the chair is on wheels, Miss Grade 5 goes smashing into the desk.

"Get away, get away, get away," she repeats in a monotone. She keeps going as the Grade 8 kid shoves her a couple more times before skipping a short distance away.

"Tell her to stop saying 'Get away'," orders the Grade 8 kid.

Simone sighs.

"Hey, what a doofus!" cries the Grade 8 kid. "She just used the calculator to subtract 840 from 840! It's zero, doofus!" He slouches into the couch to better appreciate the Grade 5 kid's reaction.

"I knew that," says the Grade 5 kid with a nasal whine.

"Don't you have to make your bed? Brush your teeth?" Simone asks the Grade 8 kid hopefully.

"Nope," he replies triumphantly. "I'm not leaving for school until 8:45 this morning."

Simone sighs again.

"How do I do this?" The Grade 5 kid asks.

Miraculously, the Grade 8 kid gets up. "Let me see," he says. Second miracle of the morning, he doesn't simply give the Grade 5 kid the answer either. "You have to divide the first number by the second," he instructs.

Simone smiles to herself. Hope springs eternal.